Akhmatova lyric
Robert Chandler
kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM
Sat Aug 27 20:36:00 UTC 2011
Thank you, Sasha, and others on- and off-line. And yes, it is indeed a rather odd translation!
R.
On 27 Aug 2011, at 18:30, Alexandra Smith wrote:
> -
>> Can anyone give me the first line, in Russian, of a poem that begins, in a translation by D.M. Thomas:
>> 'You're like a strange and very strict diet;
>> U'm learning to obey and be quiet.'
>>
> Dear Robert,
>
> The poem (in Russian) starts with words: Ty vsegda tainstvennyj i novyj (1917).
> See it below. I must say, I find Thomas's translation of this poem rather odd.
>
>
>
> All best,
> Sasha Smith
>
>
>
> * * *
> Ты всегда таинственный и новый,
> Я тебе послушней с каждым днем,
> Но любовь твоя, о друг суровый,
> Испытание железом и огнем.
>
> Запрещаешь петь и улыбаться,
> А молиться запретил давно.
> Только б мне с тобою не расстаться,
> Остальное все равно!
>
> Так, земле и небесам чужая,
> Я живу и больше не пою,
> Словно ты у ада и у рая
> Отнял душу вольную мою.
> Декабрь 1917
>
>
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Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
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